


Covenant

by UndeadDolly



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angels vs. Demons, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Dark Fantasy, Guardian Angels, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Institutions, Nephilim Kaneki, Possessive Behavior, Protective Kaneki Ken | Sasaki Haise, Trust Issues, Vessel Hide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:47:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29104290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UndeadDolly/pseuds/UndeadDolly
Summary: The sight of Kaneki brought his beloved ball-jointed doll to mind. They were the one and the same, but how did Hide breathe life into an inanimate object?
Relationships: Kaneki Ken | Sasaki Haise/Nagachika Hideyoshi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

The fireplace was crackling. The flames flickering, flaring furiously. It cast shadows, silhouettes of furniture, and as well as Hide. 

In due time, Hide stirred, shifting as the cuckoo clock struck midnight. His husky whimpered, whining as Hide sat up. He pet Titan, then fortified the fireplace.

The lodge was enveloped, embraced in warmth. The atmosphere was comfortable, cozy for once. The Christmas adornments, accessories emphasized, enhanced the ambience.

Meanwhile, Hide’s parents slept peacefully, pleasantly together in each other’s arms on the couch. It was a tradition to celebrate Christmas at their winter lodge every year. He was happy to celebrate Christmas at their winter lodge as a child but Hide is nineteen-years-old now.

“Titan, I miss my friends,” Hide sighed, lazily lounging, with his dog. “I wish I could I visit them, but I’m in the middle of nowhere. _We’re_ in the middle of nowhere, Titan.”

The window seat was spacious, sizable enough for two. And so, Hide and Titan sat together to watch the snowfall. However, Hide saw something or _someone_. “D-Did you see that, Titan?! There’s something … _someone_ outside.”

The stranger sauntered, stepped forward. The subtle moonlight illuminated, illustrated his features. Without hesitation, Hide squinted, staring shamelessly. “W-Who are you?”

The young man had silver, snow-white hair. He looked around, about Hide’s age. It didn’t quash, quell Hide’s suspicions. “Are you the … local? You don’t seem local, though.”

The other boy wore a form-fitting, long-sleeved black bodysuit. He wore a black shirt and knee-length shorts over the bodysuit, though. “Aren’t you like … cold?”

He wouldn’t wear such an outfit for a snowy mountain resort getaway. It was something one would wear on a night out in Tokyo. Besides, Hide preferred brighter colors anyway. “Do you think I should say hi, Titan? You should say hi, too. You’re coming with me.”

He draped a blanket over himself. Afterward, Hide trudged through the snow with Titan. “You’re sort of, kind of trespassing. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but this is private property.”

It didn’t seem to concern the … _trespasser_. “The name is Kaneki.”

“Okay, _Kaneki_. You’re trespassing.”

“What will you do about it, _Hide_?”

A smug, self-satisfied smirk graces Kaneki’s lips. And Hide faltered, fumbling with his words. “H-How do you know my name?”

“Oh, I know more than just your name.”

He slowly, steadily backpedaled. “D-Dad? M-Mom?”

“Your Mommy and Daddy can’t help you now. They won’t keep you from me, either.”

“Titan!”

He twisted, turned around to run away. Unfortunately, Kaneki’s fingers clutched, clasped Hide’s wrist. “I have missed you, Hide. And I’ve been waiting, waiting for so long to touch you again.”

“Let go of me!”

A few snarls, show of teeth. Then Titan retreated, recoiling in fear. Even so, Titan didn’t flee.

It was so strange, however. He had never seen Titan so terror-stricken, so terrified. Suddenly, Hide was face to face with Kaneki. “You’re never abandoning me again, Hide.”

And Hide felt terror-struck, terrified like Titan. “W-What are you?”

But Hide had stared into that ruby red abyss, just perhaps long enough for it to stare back at him. “I am what you made me, Hide.”

His world dimmed, disappeared into darkness. He went with it, too.

XOXO

As usual, Hide woke up to the scent of coffee. It seemed so mundane, so monotonous.

The seemingly surreal spell shattered, with a single glance in the mirror. His reflection … mirror image still wore the same clothes from last night.

Soon enough, Hide could remember, recall vividly everything. He would’ve brought to light the truth of last night.

The irrational, illogicalness of imagination paralyzed Hide. He felt terror-struck once more. A mere ball-jointed doll but his ball-jointed doll.

It was Hide’s beloved, best-loved childhood toy. It also resembled, replicated … _Kaneki_. He didn’t understand anymore. He _couldn’t_ understand anymore.

“Good morning, sweetheart!” Hide’s mother smiled, flipping pancakes, frying omelets. “While I was cleaning, I found your toy chest in the attic. And I came across … _Kaneki._ ”

He hadn’t an appetite. He still sat down at the kitchen table anyway. His mother then set a plate full of eggs, bacon, and pancakes in front of him. “Thank you, mom!”

“Dig in, now. Your father and I are going into town after breakfast. Would you like to come with us?”

“Sure.”

“You better eat up, then. We’ll be leaving in an hour.”

“Of course.”

He ate small bites of bacon. His mind was elsewhere, though. “Are you alright, Hide? You seem … distracted.”

If his beloved ball-jointed doll is just a cute and charming child’s toy, then who did Hide encounter last night? “It’s just I forgot about … _Kaneki_. And I can’t believe you found him.”

“It’s just a part of growing up, Hide. Anyhow, I’m planning to place Kaneki in a glass display case.”

Did coincidences, chances even exist? Or was this a twist of fate, a freak of nature? “… Why, though?”

“He was such a significant part of your childhood. Since I’m going to donate the rest of your toys, I thought I should keep your most treasured one for memory’s sake.”

“… That’s a good idea, I guess. I think I should go get ready now.”

XOXO

The snowy mountain town was a quiet, quaint settlement but as well as a tourist attraction. There were many gift shops for tourists, or novelty shops to purchase postcards from.

He was too lost in his thoughts to care about sending his friends a postcard, though. The events of last night were replaying, repeating in his psyche over and over again. It was like Hide was experiencing, enduring the encounter again and again.

And so, Hide wandered around the town aimlessly. Eventually, Hide came across a small, secluded playground. He sat on the swing, then sighed deeply.

Unbeknownst to Hide, Kaneki sat on the swing next to his. “Are you sad?”

Immediately, Hide stood up. He glared at _Kaneki_. “It’s _you_! Who are you? W-What are you?”

“You know who I am, _what_ I am.”

“… It’s not possible.”

The sight of Kaneki brought his beloved ball-jointed doll to mind. They were the one and the same, but how did Hide breathe life into an inanimate object?

Unlike before, Kaneki gently and gracefully lifted Hide’s chin. “And yet, I’m here.”

“I’m sorry, Kaneki.”

“What for, abandoning me, or … creating me?”

The young man scoffed, stepping back. It was Hide’s turn to reach out, then. “I promise I’ll be a better friend this time.”

“It’s too late now.”

“But-”

“I said it’s too late, Hide. I’m cursed already. You saw that.”

XOXO

At least, Hide ate dinner.

After all, Hide’s brief heart-to-heart, head-to-head with Kaneki gave Hide some peace of mind. He lay in bed, with his beloved ball-jointed doll.

As a child, Hide had outfitted his ball-jointed doll in a white long-sleeved button-down shirt and black trousers with suspenders. Also, Hide had attached a bow tie to the white long-sleeved button-down shirt. He had fixed a fedora hat as well on to the head of his ball-jointed doll.

Meanwhile, Kaneki watched, witnessed Hide’s care. He soon stepped forward, frightening Hide. “It’s not really my style.”

He smiled, then sat up. “I can see that.”

“You shouldn’t have come back, Hide. It’s not safe here anymore.”

“W-What are you talking about?”

And subconsciously, Hide’s arms tightened around the ball-jointed doll. It didn’t go unnoticed by Kaneki who smirked. “There are others like me. So I’m not here to play house with you. If we did now, it would be … _different_.”

“W-Who?”

“It’s difficult not to succumb to the curse, Hide. I mean, I did last night.”

“W-Who are they, though? Why won’t you tell me, Kaneki? We’re friends, aren’t we?”

However, Kaneki sneered contemptuously. His tone was condescending. “Are we, Hide?”

“I’d like to think so, ‘Neki.”

“Do you, now?

Then Kaneki shifted, sauntered closer. His fingers tenderly, tentatively tracing Hide’s cheek. “…’Neki?”

When Hide flushed, Kaneki laughed. “Goodnight, Hide. Sweet dreams.”

“…Goodnight, ‘Neki.”

* * *

**A/N:** What do you think? Leave me your thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

He ran slowly, steadily through the trail. And Titan trotted, trudged alongside Hide.

Ever since childhood, Hide has done track and field. Even now, Hide is an up-and-coming track and field champion at Kamii University.

On the trail, Hide saw … _Yoriko_. She smiled, sprinting toward Hide. Her brown, bronze-colored ringlets bouncing, bobbing behind her.

She lunged, leapt into Hide’s arms. He lifted Yoriko, then twirled Yoriko around. It had been months, but the two cousins reunited.

He gently, gracefully placed Yoriko down. She playfully ruffled, rumpled Hide’s golden, gleaming locks. “When did you arrive, Yoriko?!”

“It was yesterday. We were exhausted, Hide.”

“Of course, I understand.”

“We’re still settling in, though. The flight was awful. You have no idea.”

“Well, I guess not. My parents and I drove here.”

She pet Titan. His husky happily whoofed. “Hello, Titan! How’ve you been, boy?”

“Let’s head back, Yoriko. I feel cold.”

“… But I’m not dressed properly. I’m sweaty and-”

He laughed at Yoriko. Then Hide draped an arm over Yoriko’s shoulders. “It’s okay, Yoriko. You look fine.”

“Do I, really?”

“You’re beautiful, Yoriko.”

XOXO

At the lodge, Yoriko exchanged pleasantries.

Afterward, Hide and Yoriko ate breakfast. The two giggled, goofed around. They playfully roughhoused, rowdy like kids.

She soon froze, fear befalling Yoriko. Her eyes fixed, focused on … _Kaneki_. Hide's beloved, best-loved childhood toy terrified, terror-struck Yoriko.

Her eyes overflowed, overspilled with teardrops. And Hide embraced, enveloped Yoriko quickly. “What’s wrong, Yoriko?”

“Yesterday, I saw … _someone_. _She’s_ my doll, Hide. I sound crazy, but-”

“I know, I know! I saw … _someone_ , too. _He’s_ my doll as well.”

“We should do something, Hide”

He remembered, recalled Kaneki’s first visit. “It’s too dangerous, Yoriko! They’re … different, anyway. They’ve changed, but for the worse.”

“… Well, I’ve already noticed. We’re not safe, though.”

“… We’ll leave soon. We keep to ourselves until then.”

“We can research, Hide. A small town like this must have its secrets.”

He was tormented, with the same troubling question. How had Hide breathed life into an inanimate object?

“If we do this, then we _need_ to be careful.”

“We’re meeting at the library tomorrow morning. We'll read and research about local folklore. If anyone’s concerned, we’re just two students working on a school project together”

“I hope so.”

“We’ll find answers, Hide.”

“Maybe.”

XOXO

The two bicycled together to the local library.

It was an old-world, old-fashioned library, with modern amenities. There were sounds of typing, pages turning, pencils and pens caressing paper. Those noises were like a library’s lullaby to lull students to sleep after long, lengthy hours of studying.

A few people were browsing the bookshelves, but not the non-fiction aisles. So Hide and Yoriko sat at a table together, then thumbed through the town records. Soon enough Hide and Yoriko came across an old news report, that charted and chronicled occurrences throughout the town of _‘cursed dolls.’_

Without hesitation, Yoriko photocopied the news report. “What did I say, Hide?! A small town like this has its secrets.”

“Come on, Yoriko! It’s just an old news report from the 1890s. It’s even the same year the Ouija Board came out. The Victorians thought of Ouija Boards as parlor games, but you and I know better than them. We’ve never touched one in our lives, so I won’t sit here and entertain the idea that we’ve been playing with parasitic entities as children.”

“We need answers, though.”

“We _need_ to be careful, Yoriko. _He …_ warned me, that we’re not safe here, that we shouldn’t have come back.”

Meanwhile, Kaneki observed. He had hidden behind a bookshelf next to Hide and Yoriko’s table. They were too busy bickering back and forth to notice Kaneki eavesdropping.

“ _She_ warned me, too.”

“We should listen, Yoriko.

“But I want to know _who_ or _what_ they are.”

“What if you don’t like the answer, Yoriko?”

XOXO

Soon enough, Yoriko pedaled home. And so, Hide waved goodbye.

The streetlamps flickered, flashed on. The faint light unveiled, unconcealed Kaneki’s presence. He wore a black long-sleeved sweatshirt, jeans, and boots. At first glance, Kaneki looked ‘normal’, but if one looked long enough, then they’d behold _… otherworldly_ beauty.

As children, Yoriko and Hide could’ve been playing, partaking with parasitic entities posing, passing themselves as dolls. It was easier dismissing, denying Yoriko’s theory. It was convenient, _cowardly_ even _._

He was terrified, terror-struck. He had to confront, collar his _demons_. “… Leave me alone.”

His voice was a whisper wavering in the winter kissed winds. The bittersweet, disconsolate wish betraying Hide. “Are you sure?”

“L-Leave me alone, Kaneki.”

“You don’t sound too convincing, though.”

The other advanced, then. And suddenly, Kaneki clasped, clenched Hide’s hair. “S-Stop.”

His head was yanked backward. So, Hide glared at glittering, glimmering stars. “Say it like you mean it.”

He does mean it, though. But still, Kaneki tongued, tantalized his neck. “I said stop!”

“I had warned you.”

“Please stop, Kaneki!”

“It’s too late now, you s _elfish_ human.”

He screamed up into the sky. “This isn’t you!”

At the moment, Hide shoved Kaneki. The other dropped, descended onto his knees. “… It is now, Hide. I _fell_ a long time ago.”

A profound, piercing pain budded and blossomed in Hide’s chest. “My … heart … hurts.”

“Does it, now?”

“I can’t … breathe.”

His vision obscured, obstructed by teardrops. He tried trudging, treading through the snow. Ultimately, Hide crumbled and collapsed onto the ground. “My poor wilting, withering sunflower.”

XOXO

With a gasp, Hide sat straight up in _bed_. However, Hide wasn’t alone.

Beside him, Kaneki lay asleep. One day, Hide will have to thank Kaneki. The young man brought Hide home twice now.

Even now, Kaneki looked … angelic. It’s ironic because Kaneki isn’t a celestial creature. So Hide had been consorting with a d _emon_ all along.

And yet, Hide turned towards the nightstand. He pulled the top drawer open, then. His medications weren’t there anymore, though. “T-This can’t be. I couldn’t have misplaced them. I remember taking them last night.”

Soon enough, Kaneki stirred awake. “What’s wrong now?”

“I-It’s nothing, really.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Hide.”

He sighed, then sobbed softly. “I-It’s personal, ‘Neki.”

The other scoffed, like usual. And still, Kaneki offered Hide the beloved ball-jointed doll. “I wonder if _this_ will help cheer you up.”

As suspected, Kaneki held the beloved ball-jointed doll out of Hide’s reach. “Give it back, ‘Neki!”

“I will if you kiss me.”

“Y-You can’t ask something like that from me.”

The silence returned. And so, Hide hugged his knees to his chest. Meanwhile, Kaneki relinquished his hold on the beloved ball-jointed doll. “When did you become so boring?”

“When did you become so cruel?”

“What would a sheltered, selfish human like you know anything about cruelty?! Must I remind you that I was the one abandoned in this _hellhole_ , that I f _ell_ because of you?”

He put his hands over his ears. “… I don’t know what you want from me. We were just children. But I am so, so sorry, ‘Neki.”

“I want everything. I deserve everything so shut up and kiss me now.”

* * *

A/N: What do you think? Leave me your thoughts.


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